Colfax High School - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Colfax, WA)

Page 12 text:

PAIJOLTSE GAZE'VFPl COLFAX, WASHINGTON, 1877 TRANSFER OF AFFEC- TIONS CHANGES OUR VILLAGE'S NAME The present location of our village was named Bellvllle, so called by the oldest inhabi- tant ln honor of his sweet- heart. but upon making a transfer of his affections, he promptly changed the name. Eellville, to Colfax. not by any act of the legislature but by a simple act of his own will. At that time, 1872, Colfax was the proud possessor of a post- office. hotel, blacksmith shop, livery stable, store and saw- mill. ANDERSON COX FATHER OF WHITMAN COUNTY It was due to Anderson Cox, the father of our County, that Whitman County was carved out of Stevens County which comprised about one third of the whole territory of Wash- lngton. Mr. Cox was a man of con- siderable ability, having serv ed two terms in the Ohio leg- islature before coming west and lt was due principally to his efforts that our county was formed and that Colfax was made the county seat. NOVELTY WEDDING INVITATION October 6, 1877-A shaking bridegroom sent out the fol- lowing wedding invitations to the residents of Colfax: Come around and see me capture a mo.her-in-law, at 8 o'clock sharp. UNECKTIE SOCIABLEI' Ladies Benevolent Society of Collax will give a necktie so- ciable and oyster supper, at the school house, one week from next 'Ihursday evening. A cordial invitation extended to all. Page hlx I FIRST PUBLICATION OF PALOUSE GAZETTE GREAT EVENT We are proud to say that the paper which you are read- ing made the first click of type east of the Cascades and north of the Snake River. The first edition was made Sep- tember 27, 1877. Recently the ,first two numbers of The Spokane Times, the first pa- per published in our neigh- boring city, Spokane, was printed on the press of the Gazette in Colfax. Hats off to Lucien E. Kellogg and Charles B. Hopkins the found- ers of the Palouse Gazette. MARRIAGE NOTICES STARTED AT LAST We had almost given up getting our marriage notices started, but on last Monday we happened to notice all the boys smoking cigars, and upon inquiry as to what was up, learned that Carl Loyd had gone the way of all wise men and married Miss Bertha Reinhart. We took a cigar and wished them more happiness, thanking them for being the first to start our marriage notices. INDIAN SCARE FRIGHTENING PEOPLE The palefaces of Whitman County fear that they will be driven from the happy hunt- ing grounds of the noble red- men. Having heard of several massacres many fled from their homes. This great fear has lasted for three or four weeks but now we all feel that it was largely the result of imagination. Many of the set- tlers have returned to their homes only to find friendly Indians herding their stock .or them, thus proving the India.n's character to be su- perior to the expectations of his white friends. STAGE DRIVER HELD UP. Many have heard the inter- esting story of Felix Warren, the first stage driver. and the holdup which he experienced. It seems that as he was making one of his runs, four robbers descended upon him and relieved him of quite a large quantity of gold which he was carrying on the stage- coach. Three of the robbers were caught but one remained un- found, and as luck would have it the one not found had hid- den the money. Everyone thought that the gold was none. but some years later Mr. Warren received a letter which requested him to come to the bedside of a dying man and he would be told where the money was hidden. But Mr. Warren arrived too 'ate. for the last and unfound robber had died before he could part with the knowledge concerning the hidden gold. EDITORIAL. It is generally felt by the citiwens of Colfax that there should now be sidewalks built on both sides of Main Street, and occasionally a cross walk, so people can get around with- out spoiling too much shoe leather. How do you feel about it? SOCIETY There has been a great deal of social activity lately. Our residents have enjoyed boat- ing partles, bathing in the waters of the Palouse, skating and coasting, Sabbath services and of course singing bees. Here's a compliment to Whitman County. There are a hundred bachelors in this county, but not one pauper. However, due to the scarcity of young ladies any one of these bachelors would be con- sidered a hero if he were lucky enough to win a wife.

Page 11 text:

T P1,8 CfCif5'E.g8

Page 13 text:

PALOUSE GAZETTE COLFAX, WASHINGTON, 1893 BUSINESS BLOCKS G0 UP IN FLAMES The residents of Colfax have been residing in barns and sheds, and in the absence of matches have been lighting their pipes from the smolder- ing ruins of what was once three business blocks of our fair city. This fire occurred but one week earlier than the one from which Colfax suf- fered last year. It is estimated that this de- stroying element consumed fifty-eight business houses, ewtciling a loss of S400,000. Many people have been rend- ered homeless, and one of the effects of the fire will be that the new school building which is to be erected will cost but S1800 instead of the S4000 originally intended. PAST HISTORY OF INTEREST. Our school house was the building chosen for the first marriage in Colfax. It was thoroughly cleansed for the auspicious event and the floor was completely covered with sawdust. In this building James A. Perkins and Miss Jennie Ewart became husband and wife. Their marriage was the sec- ond or third in this cou ity as well as the first in Colfax. It was a great event and peop'e even traveled half of the night to witness the ceremony, many coming more than twenty miles in wagons and horseback. Miss Minnie Perkins, their eldest daughter, has the dis- tinction of being the first child born in Colfax, the date being April 18, 1874. JAMES A. PERKINS FATHER OF COLFAX RELATES HAPPENINGS Upon inquiry Mr. Perkins acquainted us with some very interesting facts concerning the history of our village. In the year 1871, James A. Perkins and H. S. Hollings- worth were the only residents in what is now Colfax. They waded through snow 18 inches deep that winter. The following summer, the demand for lumber, principal- ly by the settlers on the Union flat, deemed it necessary to have a mill, and so the Messrs Hollingsworth, Perkins and Cox constructed a sawmill which was the nucleus of the town to be. Up to this time all supplies were hauled from Walla Walla, a distance of 100 miles, and the opening of the first store in a slab shanty near the mill, by Warren Whitcher, was hailed with rejoicing. It will no doubt be appre- ciated by those who have a keen interest in politics to know that the first democrat- ic conventions assembled were held in the sawmill, and the Mr. Perkins's residence respectively. Mr. Perkins also supplied us with the information regard- ing towns surrounding Colfax. Within the boundaries of Whitman County, we find that Pullman was a crossroads settlement known as Four Mile, Rosalia was a stage sta- tion, Palouse City was a log- ging camp, and Farmington toasted a hotel, general store, .blacksmith shop and a livery stable. Our thanks to the hardy Q pioneers of this country. COOK STOVES COVER LANDSCAPE A customer entered H. W. Livingstone's store one day and asked him to order a cook stove. Three other such re- quests were made and as each stove was ordered, Mr. Liv- ingstone put down one mark on his order sheet. When Mr. Livingstone sent in the order to the wholesale house it read as follows: Pfease send me cook stoves- Sometime later the stoves arived at Almota and Mr. Livingstone went down to bring them to Colfax. How- ever, it was not only four stoves that he saw, for the landscape was practically cov- ered with stoves. The co'n- pany had thought that 1111 had stood for one thousand one hundred and eleven in- stead of four. Practically everyone in this county possessed a stove be- fore a year was up. Congratu- lations to you. Mr. Livingstone for being such a good sales- man. , INTERESTING EVENTS. P. M. Baxter Renshaw dem- onstrates what he knows about farming by producing a squash which weighs fifty-one pounds. Pretty good for a squash. Andrew Siltese, head chief of the Coeur d'Alene Indians, contributed five dollars for the new bridge over the Pa- louse, which leads to Colfax. Andrew says he is going to Washington next spring and see the President. Page Seven